Story tellings

On Thursday I got my latest Moley Fix: Casey's Freedom moley is now here with me after David's session.

It's pretty full now - as with Lindsay's Maps/Destination - my entry was #6.
It's intriguing stories, these sketchbooks are telling: in terms of the images and entries, but also with some of the ephemera.

E.g., I like Lindsay's little pocket for leaving/taking entry tickets and various found papers; how she and others stuck some stamps on it (sorry, Lindsay, I had one from Israel for you, but had temporarily misplaced it and only found it again after I had posted the book on); the little thoughts, ditties, comments some have written on the back.

With Casey's moley I liked the continuity of medium - and how everyone ended up putting some protective paper around their sketches.

The images tell stories too. And this was what struck me. I am not much of a story teller with images - that's why I think I can never quite cut it as an illustrator, the art of cartoon and visual novels or even storyboards for film is beyond me. I think as far as storytelling in painting/drawing goes for me, it's the work process. I like the layering of collage and mixed media. Of adding stuff to a painting. But 'stuff' is usually all there is, it's not straightforward.

I've seen quite a few of Lorraine and David's sketches now, and both of them are great storytellers with a single image. Though very different in style, their image is a message. And with this moley, David surprised me. From the sneak preview I was fairly certain it would have been an abstract in oil pastel. He had already said that it was neo iis, but I was struck when I opened it to find a hand reaching through bars for a wild blue bird.

Here, have a look for yourself at his commentary on freedom.

David's addition in Casey's Freedom moley

I had a bit of a free imagination and already continued. Who wants it next? Vivien or Steph???

Two for the Price of One

Right, I've got two moley's here primed and ready to go. Would anyone especially like to receive one of them first?

Detail of my contribution to the Freedom Moley.

and:
Detail of Local Landscape Moley.

I'll wait a couple of days and if there are no other takers then I'm sorry Gesa it will be you again!

A change in the line up

Hiya guys, Vivien has mailed me to confirm that Casey has had to drop out of the exchange. He has forwarded on the books that he'd received without working in them, which is such a shame because he' such a fantastic artist and I was really excited about seeing some of his work in the flesh. Not to worry.
Making an executive decision, I think we should continue to circulate and work on Casey's Freedom Moley, and include it in Lorraine's exhibition, before returning it completed to Casey. To tell you the truth, when I get the Moleys I'm not thinking about who originated them, as they each seem to have taken on lives of their own, if you know what I mean.

Just Like Busses....

...you wait forever on one, and two come along at the same time!


So, I'll take the first one part of the way then change to the second for the remainder of my journey:


Steph's brooding northern edifice, seen contre-jour from a low viewpoint, is pieced together with creative collage and full of painted textures. A monumental moley masterpiece! Great stuff Steph, and in stark contrast to the gentle rolling summer meadows of Viviens southern landscape. Bronte's 'Wuthering Heights' meets Vaughan-Williams 'A Lark Ascending':


Jump off one bus, and onto the next (it's just as well I have my Auld Git's Travel Card!):

Flying high with Lorraine's multi-coloured kite looking down on sandy beaches gives a great sense of a blustery day at the sea-side. I believe one of the two "edjits" with the dog may in fact be Lorraine herself loving the freedom and pleasure a deserted beach brings us!. Well done Lorraine - it makes a great spacious image:


I will need to fly this kite for a while up at Penshaw Monument to see if I can achieve similar enjoyable lift-off's!

Casey's moley in Ireland

Hi moley mates, I'm sorry that I've been a bit tardy in posting this moley.

Casey's moley arrived safely in a very wet and miserable Belfast on Tuesday, and now on Sunday evening I have time to really enjoy it's contents.

Casey started the "Freedom" theme with a lovely freeform expression of colour and texture in soft pastel. Casey did you use Unison pastels for this?, because if you did I'm beginning to see why they are so popular among soft pastel artists.

Then Lindsay threads some of Casey's colours into her dynamic mixed media landscape, using oil pastels and solid blocks of colour. I'm going to have a go at using oil pastels, I love the almost liquid effects that Lindsay has achieved with these.

Next, Brian's interpretation of "Freedom" introduces us to a very serene scene in soft pastels of a disused jetty, with lovely soft waterery effects and what I think is becoming Brian's trade mark greens.

So, what will I do?

I think that I will continue the pastel tradition already established in this moley, however as to subject. Well we will see.

Freedom by Lindsay

Look what came in the mail today! I love this contribution to Casey's Freedom theme by Lindsay. She starts at left by laying out some of the key colors that Casey used to phenomenal effect in the earlier pages of the book, than incorporates these hues into a landscape that seems to nearly vibrate with color. This in turn transforms into a swirl of geometric abstraction, referencing the broader palette of the landscape while bringing in still more colors (like the soft oranges at right). It reads to me like a visual symphony, with each movement building into the next one in turn, and with surges of dramatic intensity counter-balanced with calm, quiet moments. Lindsay has also successfully matched what for me is one of the most satisfying parts of Casey's work - the soft blush of pink on his fourth page that follows like a gentle sigh after the explosion of reds, pinks, and purples that came before it. Lindsay's grace note here is in those soft oranges, cascading delicately onto the last page and leading to...

Hmmm, looks like I'll have some serious stretching to do here. Great work, folks!

Casey's Book Arrived!

Here are Casey's vivid, beautiful, first few pages of his "Freedom" Moley. These are not colors I usually use so I'm feeling challenged to continue his theme with these beautiful color sketches as my inspiration.

My Theme: Freedom!

Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!

For a full, multi media post on the theme of Freedom! in my Moley, I've put up a pretty messed-up post at Pastel.

Freedom, baby!